Rogue Wave
by Eich
Summary: You had your whole life planned. As a scientist you knew there were variables you had no control over, such as who would become part of your life. But as much as you undestood all of that nothing could have ever prepared you for that night. When that woman stumbled inside your life, all the plans you had ever made were shattered.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_I apologize for any mistakes, they are my own, unlike the characters and even some parts of the plot. This was born out of a mix of ideas taken from books, movies and Orphan Black (of course), so if something seems familiar you're probably right. Also, each chapter will be accompanied by the name of a song, I can't post the links here but you can find it on my tumblr if you want. Thanks!_**  
**

**Prologue** (The Way It Ends by Landon Pigg)

All you can feel is the sun warming your cheeks and the softness of her skin beneath your fingertips.

That, and the lump on your throath while the tears you fought so hard to keep at bay starts to blur your vision. Struggling to catch your breath, you quietly wipe the moisture from your face and continues to look outside, watching as the landscape rushes through the train's window becoming nothing more than handful of smudges.

Much like your life has been in the past months. A bunch of hasty moments blended together into a chaotic flow of events you're still trying to assimilate.

Resting your forehead against the glass, you cover your eyes with the palm of your hand, trying to find some kind of shelter from the havoc taking place all around you. But as much as you try, you know you can't hide from what's inside you, from your own personal storm of thoughts and emotions.

And suddenly you wish you didn't knew.

For the first time, maybe, you wish none of this had ever happened to you.

You wish you where just as blind and oblivious as the rest of the passangers of this train. You wish you could just live your life without having to carry this much anger, this much pain. Without having to feel this useless, this helpless.

But then she stirs in your lap, taking your hand from its place on her shoulder to keep it between her own, holding you as if you were her lifeline even while she sleeps, and you know you're just trying to fool yourself.

You wouldn't change anything even if you could go back to that day. The day she had entered your life and turned it upside down. Turned you upside down.

Slipping your hand from your eyes, you look down at her comfortably nestled in your lap with her head resting on your thigh and legs curled up in her seat. Your fingers intertwined with hers as she holds your hand against her chest, so close to her face that you can fell her breath against your knuckles.

A smile tugs the corners of your lips, despite the desperation that seizes hold of your heart.

Everything is a mess. You are a mess. And you know things will only get harder for you, when the time comes for you to finally crumble, you don't know how you'll be able to pick up your pieces from the floor. You don't know if you'll ever be able to pull yourself together again.

Still, you wouldn't change anything because that would mean never having met her, and that is the only thing that would have been worst.

Slowly you bring your hand to her scalp, running your fingers throught her hair and twisting a few strands around your forefinger. She stirs again and you see the lazy grin spreading over her features before she turns around.

You melt at the way she snuggles against your stomach.

"Are we there yet?" Her question lingers in the air for a bit too long, making her open her eyes to look at you.

"Almost, ma chérie." You lean over her, brushing your lips against hers, and for a moment everything is as it supposed to be.

You know this is the eye of the storm that will destroy you both. But you will take whatever you can for as long as you can.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _I can believe there's people actually reading my story. Wow, thanks whoever you might be! Just to be clear, the story from this point on takes place in a time prior to the Epilogue. Once again my apologies for the mistakes and please enjoy._

**Chapter 1 **(Crashed by Chris Daughtry)

_And I crashed into you,  
Like a runaway train.  
You will consume me,  
But I can't walk away_

_*Five months before*_

Turning the page of her textbook, Delphine stifled a yawn stretching both her arms over her head. Frowning at the muffled sound of her backs popping. Getting up to refill her mug, she stole a glance at the wooden clock hanging above the glass door and sighed. Most people would do everything they could to avoid the night shift at the coffee shop, but she didn't mind it.

Actually, she dared said it was her favorite time to work, and not because there was rarely any costumers after 8pm, but because she could use all of her free time to study while surronded by the scent of recently grinded coffee, butter and jam. It reminded her of the days she used to stay at her grandfather's bakery back in France, helping him roll croissants or listening to his stories with a glazed pastry between her hands.

Those were some of the best days of her life.

If someone had asked that little girl what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, she wouldn't have hesitated in say she would follow her pépé's footsteps. When he passed away, though, she had comprehended that what she had truly wished for the rest of her life was to continue to sit at the counter of his kitchen while he kneaded dough for the brioches singing some old tune from his youth.

She loved to cook, loved to bake, but the universe he had always managed to create for her was what she had loved the most and after she had lost it the bakery had lost it's magic for her.

Once she had understood that and the grieving over the lost of those wonderful afternoons was over, Delphine had begun a quest to find her true passion.

The logical thing to do, in her eyes, had been to pay better attention at was taking place around her, and so she had turned to her father. Delphine had spent days asking questions and snooping around her father's home office, with permission, of course. He, of his part, didn't seemed to be annoyed by her, always making his best to appease her curiosity, even going as far as taking her to Court once. It was very quickly, he had only needed to sign a document, but still, it had been a very fun day for her.

Despite all the effort, though, she couldn't find anything appealing in spending hour on end studying complicated words and try to send people to jail. Bad people, of course, but that only made things less attractive for her. No, law wasn't her thing.

Delphine's mother had been just as receptive as her father, not making any comments or remarks when the girl had started to make frequent appearances at the studio downstairs, sneaking her way into the darkroom to watch mesmerized as the images bacame clearer everytime her mother dipped the paper in the "special liquid" she wasn't allowed to touch. The revelation process, however, had been the highlight of her experience. She liked photography but only as another hobby.

It was hard to point the exact moment she had fell in love with biology. Delphine had always enjoyed her science classes, those were always her best grades and the things she learned faster. She liked to work on the projects, to do the presentations, to have pratical lessons at the laboratory, but the precise moment when she decided that was what she wanted to be doing for the rest of her life wasn't clear for her.

Maybe it there hasn't been one at all. Delphine suspected her choice had been the product of a succession of events. Science had won her heart a chemical reaction at the time and now it was all her life.

She had never believed in love at first sight anyway.

Ironicaly, though, she did spend most of her days studying difficult latin terms and seeing the world from behind glass lens, in a way, she had compiled both her parent's aptitudes.

Pouring herself a some boiling water, Delphine grabbed two teabags from the box, dipping them on the mug and leaving it to rest at the counter before walk back to her table at the corner of the empty room, begining to gather her books.

Ten minutes to midnight, it was time to close and leave everything ready for the morning.

Suddenly the door bell echoed in her ears, breaking the silence of the shop and causing her to turn around. Delphine had a polite smile on her face and a hope in her heart that this person was only looking for a cup of coffee to get warm and get home fast, and not a full late night snack experience.

When her eyes caught sight of the young woman standing before her, though, her mind went blank. Her heart had never raced this fast before.

If it was because of the exaustion pasted across the stranger's face, the sheer terror glowing on her wide brown eyes, the thin white shirt that covered her torso, the visible cuts on her arms, or something else all together, Delphine couldn't say.

After what seemed like hours, but couldn't have been more than a few seconds, she finally dragged herself out of the initial stupor and instinctively reached forward. The misterious woman flinched, taking a step back without never taking her gaze from Delphine's.

The blond mentally scolded herself for the precipitaded movement, putting both hands on her back pockets as not to scare the brunet. At this point the woman seemed torned between racing back out the doors or bursting into tears, she didn't needed to have her personal space invaded by someone unknown.

Delphine had to use all her willpower not to wrap the shorter girl in her arms. Why did she felt such need to soothe her?

"Are you alr..." The question was interrupted by the sound of a commotion quickly racing down the street, startling the visitor who ran inside the shop hidding beneath the counter almost in the same moment that the door openned with such violence she was surprised the glass hadn't cracked. Three men dressed in dark clothes and heavy booths marched in.

Delphine swolloed her anxiety and putted her best smile. "I am sorry, but we are already closing."

Only then they acknowledged her presence.

"We're looking for a woman." Her heart skip a beat and she tried to win some time. It was clearly something very odd was taking place before her eyes.

"A woman? I am sorry but you will have to be more specific." One of the man took a step in her direction snapping at her, with an angry glare. "Dark hair, brown eyes, about mid twenties. Probably not dressed for this weather. Have you seen her?" His last words were spoken between his teeth, sending a shiver down her spine. Delphine's mind was racing in all directions, trying figure out what she should do. It wasn't as if she knew who that girl was or why were they looking for her. As much as this guys frightened her what if that woman was some kind of fugitive?

She didn't wanted to get in any trouble for helping a criminal, and she certainly didn't wanted to be the next victim of whatever felony the brunet had commited. She could have scaped from some mental institution for all she knew, being dangerous not only to Delphine, but to herself as well..

But, then again, what is the girl was the victim?

If only she could discover something more.

"Is she dangerous? What has she done?"

The man closer to the door started to walk, slowly making his way over to the counter as the other two surrounded her.

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is if you've seen her."

From the corner of her eye she spotted a lump at the third man's lower back, and felt her blood running cold.

"Non!" Delphine spoke a bit too loud, calling the attention all to herself. "No, I have not seen anybody with that description."

"Are you sure?" He stared at her.

"Yes Sir." She gave them her best inocente smile, exaggerating her accent "I would tell you. I have no wishes to cause any troubles for any american gentlemen like yourselves."

Delphine felt his eyes roaming over her and a creepy grin spread on his face. "Smart girl."

With a nod of his head, they exited the shop and she leaned against the nearby table releasing her breath. What on earth had just happened?

When she was sure she had regain some control over her body, Delphine rushed to the glass door locking it and lowered the blinds to cover the showcases.

Taking another big breath, she carefully made her way over to the counter, silently praying she had made the right decision.

The moment she saw her frame all curled up with her forehead resting against her knees and legs hugged close to her body, Delphine felt all the doubt leaving her mind. She looked so small, so fragile, so...lost.

Tentatively she placed her hand over the woman's arm, retriving it when the brunet stiffened under her touch.

"It's ok. I will not hurt you." The woman raised her head looking at her with a mix of curiosity and anxiety. The sight of her wet cheeks made Delphine's heart clench in her chest. "Those man...the ones that were after you." She hugged herself tighter and Delphine had the confirmation she needed. "They are gone now, you can come out."

Slowly the brunnet started to get up wiping the tears from her eyes, before she could fully stand, though, her legs gave out on her and Delphine jumped foward just in time to catch her. She quivered when the cold skin touched hers.

"Mon Dieu, you're freezing!" She walked the stranger to the nearest chair before reaching for the mug she had left over the counter a few minutes ago. "Here, drink this, it will warm you."

For the first time Delphine saw a yellow dirty folder clenched in the woman's arms and placed the warm mug on the table turning her back to the woman as if to give her some privacy. She heard the sound of paper hitting the wood and sighed in relieve, heading towards the officer where she kept her things.

Delphine threw a coat around the woman's shoulders, kneeling in front of her with a gentle smile.

"Are you hurt? Aside this bruises, I mean." The brunet shook her head lightly with the mug still attached to her lips, inciting a small chuckle from her.

"I'm Delphine. What's your name?"

Finally putting the mug down, she snuggled into the coat diverting her eyes to the floor. Delphine searched her gaze before another idea came to her mind.

"Are you hungry?" Not even waiting for na answer she stood up and took a bearclaw from the display. This time, however, she held the plate in front of the stranger, patiently waiting for her to reach out. After a bit of encouragement, the fingers left the coat to wrap around the plate with a small smile of gratitude.

Delphine couldn't help but to smile wider before getting up again. She didn't knew what she was going to do next, but it was late and she couldn't just shove this woman back into the streets. She would have to take her back to her appartment for the night, take care of her scratches, give her some place to sleep, and in the moring she would go to the police. Maybe there was something in that folder that could help her discover this woman's identidy.

Delphine had only taken a step, though, when a cold hand gripped hers.

"3...324B21." The voice was barely above a whisper and in took her a bit too long to understand her words. When she did, however, her brown frowned in confusion.

"What it that? An adress?"

"You...you asked me my...name." The brown eyes finally met hers. "They called me 324B21".


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **_There was more to this chapter but I had to transfer it to the next one when I saw how massive it was becoming so I'll try to update it soon. As always, my sincere apologies for any mistakes and thanks for reading._

**Chapter 2 **(Yellow Light by Of Monsters and Men)

_I dare you to close your eyes  
And see all the colors in disguise._

Delphine carefully placed the thick blanket up the sleeping silhouette, before picking up the dirty gauzes and the ointments tubes from the coffee table. Standing up, she risked one more glance towards the couch before heading for the bathroom.

She quickly threw away the blood stained bandages, tossed her clothes on the floor and stepped into the shower. The hot water dripped on her skin, sliding down her body while the steam raised around her, fogging her sight. Closing her eyes, Delphine allowed the warmth to enfold her whole being, loosing her senses into the comfort provided by the sound of the water hitting the bathtub and the feel of the drops massaging her skin.

As relaxing as it felt, though, it wasn't enough to ease her mind.

Adrenaline was still racing in her veins.

When she had woken up, almost 17 hours ago, she had never imagined her day would have ended with an unknown girl passing on her couch after storming into her life with a bunch of armed men at her heels.

Delphine knew she was putting herself in danger in more ways than one. If those men found out she had lied, she sensed there would be no locked doors in the world capable of keeping them from bursting into her appartment. And, on the other side, if she had helped a crazy psychopath run from prison she could be arrested and deported, that if she managed to survive the encounter.

A chuckle bubbled from her chest. For some reason, she had a hard time believing that the woman represented an immediate danger for her.

The first option was the most probable one.

But as much as she had been terrified of those men, she also knew she couldn't leave the brunette alone to defend herself from them.

She still didn't knew much about her. In fact all she knew was that, for some reason, the girl claimed to be known as a code number.

324B21.

What that meant, Delphine had absolutely no idea.

She had tried to gather more information, once they had arrived at her home, but the woman hadn't said a word since then. Delphine had given up after a few minutes, assuming half the things she was saying weren't even reaching the girls ears due the exhaustion she could see in the brown eyes.

Instead of pushing, she had led the woman to the shower, leaving some old sweat pants and a t-shit for her to put on, and went to arranged the couch for her to spend the night. Once the brunette had reappeared on the living room with the yellow folder clutched against her chest, Delphine had urged her to lie down so she could tend to her bruises and scratches.

There wasn't any massive injury, most of them seemed recent and were most likely a result of her getaway from the pursuers, but what had caught the blonde's attention had been the amount of needle marks in both her arms. She had traced her fingers over the white spots and was about to say something when she had noticed the girl lost in a deep sleep.

Delphine's first reaction was to assume the obvious and relate the amount of tiny scars to drug use. What could also explain why she hadn't been able to say her own name, only repeating that code instead. When she had looked at the woman more closely, however, it didn't seemed plausible to say she was an addict.

She had good skin, good hair, and was in a very good shape as Delphine noticed while cleaning the scratches from her arm and legs, what had even caused her to blush a little, although she would never admit it out loud.

No, this needle marks were from something else.

Her eyes had fell over the yellow folder hugged to the woman's chest, and, for a moment, she had considered to take a look at it to see if it contained some answers, any answer, to the many questions forming in her mind. She knew the woman was so tired she wouldn't even stir, but the thought had only lasted a second.

Delphine was curious, she was, afterall, a scientist, but she wasn't nosy. She would try to get her answers in the morning, when the girl was well rested. If not, she would just hand the matter over to the authorities and continue with her life.

Closing the faucet, Delphine finally got off the shower pulling of her robe before heading for her bedroom. She lingered on the living room for a moment too long, watching the brunette wrapped on her deep blue blanket with a peacefull expression.

The sight made her smile.

As she turned to leave, her fingers grazed over the corridor lights leaving them on just in case. She didn't wanted her visitor to be affraid of the dark, or of anything else, anymore.

By the time she had changed into her sleeping clothees, the adrenaline had finally worn off and the fatigue had settled over her limbs. Delphine climbed on her bed and close her eyes. The last thing she remembered before succumb to slumber, was the feel of that girl's hand gripping hers and the sound of her voice echoing in her ears

* * *

The sound of the alarm clock jolted her into a sitting position. Delphie snorted, sinking back into the matress and covering her eyes with the back of her arm to keep the sunlight away.

She could still fell exaustion clinging to her body. It seemed as if she had just fallen asleep although she knew she had had at least six or seven hour of rest. The temptation to remain beneath the covers was too great, she didn't had any classes this morning, she could drag her hours of sleep with no problem.

Just as she was about to doze off, she heard noises coming from her living room. Eyes still closed, she furrowed her brows and strained her ears to make sure it wasn't only her hazed mind playing tricks on her. When footsteps reverberated over the floor she opened her eyelids, staring at the ceiling as all the events of the night before came back, crashing into her like a wave and washing all the lethargy away from her.

Suddenly, she was wide awake.

Pushing the covers away, she got up quickly, making her way towards the living room. From the door, she could see that the couch was empty.

Slowly Delphine took a few more steps until she could see the whole room. Once she spoted the woman curled beneath the blanket, with both her knees folded against her chest and her forehead resting against the big window, she stoped on her tracks.

Delphine's parentes weren't rich, but they had a good life. When she had decided to move to the United States they had supported her decision both emotionally and financially, flying with her and making sure she had a nice place to live, despite her efforts to convince them she could rent a room or divide an apartment with another student.

Her one bedroom apartment wasn't too big, but it had a good size so she could comfortably live in it for years and years after college was over. The thing she had loved the most, however, had been the natural light that soaked every room of the house through the big windows, and the view she had from the park across the street. She remembered how she used to have breakfast looking over the landscape every day, in a position not much different from the one the brunette now was sitting in, with time she had lost that habit, but the sparkle she could see in the girl's eyes reminded her of the reasons why she had started to do that.

The wonder she in the stranger's face, erupted a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Delphine watched for another moment as the girl reached out a hand and placed against the glass almost wishfully. Taking a deep breath, she took a step towards the figure.

"Hey." Delphine kept her voice low, but woman jumped at the sound anyway. "I am sorry I didn't meant to scare you." She dismissed her excuses with a small smile, nestling further into the blanket.

"Are you feeling better?" The woman nodded and Delphine stepped closer. "I am glad."

She sat on the arm of the couch, facing the girl, and spoke again in a soft voice "I will ask and I would like if you could answer me, but you do not have to feel obliged to tell me, alright?" The brown eyes were studying her closely. "Just please do not lie to me."

The girl countinued to look at her and Delphine read it as a sign to continue.

"What is your name?"

She dragged her gaze back to the window, but Delphine could tell she wasn't seeing anything. Not really. Trying to cover her frustration, she leaned foward.

"I promisse I will not hurt you. I only want to help you, but for me to do that you will have to help me too."

"I...I told you before. They called me 324B21." Turning to face Delphine once again, she went on. "That's the closest thing I have to a name."

"They? Who are they?" Delphine tried another approach. She suspected she wouldn't managed to get a name any time soon.

At the question something inside the girl seemed to click. Her eyes widened and she dropped the blanket, letting it fall to her elbows. "The people at the institute and at the Hesperides Garden."

"Hesperides Garden. As in the mythological garden of Hera?" Delphine frowned skeptically. "Are you trying to tell me you're a nymph?"

The brunette made a face of confusion before shaking her hands in the air and open a grin. "Hum what? No. No that's crazy I mean...they're just a myth." Delphine gave her a small chuckle, relieved. "The Hesperides Garden thing is just a metaphor, I suppose." The woman went on. "I'm a clone."

The chuckle died in her throat. "You are...a clone?"

"Yeah."

She sighed in frustration getting up from the couch. "Look." Delphine stared at her before snapping. "I said before, I want to help you, I really do, but you can not lie to me or make fantastic stories about all this. Whatever THIS is."

The girl stood up as well, watching dazed, as the blondee began to pace around the living room.

"I'm not lying, I swear."

"Why were those men after you?" Delphine asked harshly not even bothering to acknowledge her words.

"They were chasing me because I managed to escape. Their job is to take me back or to kill me. She warned me about them, she told me I was to dangerous to be out here."

"Escape from where? Who is this SHE you are talking about?"

"She's another clone who helped me escape from the Hesperides Garden, from the ins..."

She laughed in disbelieve.

"I do not have time or energy to keep playing this game of yours!"

Finally looking back at the woman, she saw her clinging to the blanket as if it could protect her from Delphine's sudden outburst. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself, controling her voice tone. "You really want me to believe that you are a clone? The result of an impossible, and illegal, scientific experimente?" The answer was a small nod. "And that there are other like you in living in a...garden somewhere."

"It's not a real garden it's just a metaph..." She raised a finger, but Delphine didn't let her finish.

"Not only that, but that one of them helped you escape?" Another nod. "For what?"

"So I can find the doctor?"

"Yes, you definitely need a doctor." The blondee muttered to herself.

"No. Not A doctor. THE doctor." The stranger took a step towards her. "She thinks that if I find her we'll be able to..."

"That is enough!" She scolded the girl as if she was a little child caught up lying to her teachers. "I've tried to give you the benefit of doubt. I truly wanted to assist you, but I am not a fool you can manipulate into your little delusion."

"Please you have to believ..."

Delphine groaned. She didn't knew what she had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't someone trying to play games with her. The least the woman could have done, was to have some consideration towards her and refused to say anything, instead of telling her all that foolishness.

"I am going to get dressed. You can go away while I am in there, I'll leave the door open, or you can stay here. But if you decide to stay, I will go to the police to tell them about you."

She turned her back on the woman and marched her way into the bedroom before the brunette had a chance to reply. Delphine wasn't sure if she was more angry at the girl, for thinking of her as a fool, or at herself, for putting herself in this situation.

Despite everything, though, part of her wished that the girl didn't left.

Everything she had told Delphine had been lie, a joke, but those men chasing her, had been very much real. She still feared for the brunette's safety. If she could bring the police back with her, then the woman would be safe, they could keep her safe from whatever situation she had been facing.

After a few minutes, she stepped out of the bedroom noticing that the blanket, the sheet and the pillow that she had borrowed the girl in the night before had been folded and left in a pile over the couch. Turning her gaze back at the window, she spotted the girl once again.

"You are still here."

At the sound of her voice the woman hurried towards her, pushing the yellow folder in her direction with pleading eyes.

"Please just...just look at the files, just let me..."

"I told you I do not have time for this." She interupted with frustrated sigh.

As much as she wished to know what was on those papers, she feared it would serve to infuriate her more. "You made your decision. I made mine."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **_Sorry for the lack of updates last week, I had to rush out of town and things got a little crazy, so I didn't had the time (or the energy) to write. Anyway, here it is. Sorry for the mistakes, and any comments are much appreciated. Thanks!_

**Chapter 3 **(Keep Your Eyes Open by Needtobreath)

_So tell me you're strong, tell me you see  
I need to hear it, will you promise me to  
Keep your eyes open_

The cold morning air kissed her cheeks. A welcome opositor to the heat blasting inside her veins, making her blood boil.

Delphine didn't knew why she was so angry.

She had helped a random stranger in a tough situation, but that didn't implied any bound of loyalty or friendship between them. The girl had every right in the world not to tell her anything, or even to tell her all that bullshit about gardens and clones, for that matter.

It wasn't appropriate but if she wanted to make fun of Delphine by inventing stories, it was her right.

She picked up her pace to cross the street. The logical thing to have done would have been call the police or bring the woman down to the police station with her, and not leaving her alone at her appartment. But logic wasn't something she had at the moment.

The only thing she could do now was hurry to her destination and hope she still had her things intact when she got back home.

* * *

The noise of phones ringing and footsteps crashed into her as soon as the double glass doors opened to allow her passage. Delphine took a step foward, submerging herself into the atmosfere of the precinct and it's smell of coffee and cigarettes blended with the scent of cleaning products.

She walked to the front desk, where a skinny man sat with a phone clued to his ear and a pen between his fingers, scribbling fiercely on a notepad. He noticed her, indicating with a small gesture a few chairs on the far corner where she should wait.

Delphine occupied one of the seats, watching the people in blue uniforms walk in and out of the building, adding to the movement she could see from behind the glass panels on the front desk.

She didn't remembered having ever entered a police station before, not in France and not in the US, suddenly, all she had ever seen about it in movies and TV shows came to her mind and she started to compare reality and fiction to pass the time.

And not to think about the stranger in her apartment.

Or the things she could be doing.

Alone.

In her apartment.

Risking a glance at the skinny man, she sighed and leaned forward, passing her hands through her locks with elbows resting on her knees. She turned her head slightly to stare at the police officer, hoping she could somehow rush his phone call, but before her eyes could fully rest on him something else caught her attention.

Someone else.

She was half sitting on a desk inside the precinct, with a mug on one hand while the other one rested on her lifted knee. Delphine could see she was talking to someone, but she didn't bother to see who it was. She couldn't divert her gaze from her face.

The same face she had first seen the night before.

The blond closer her eyes for a moment, fearing her mind had begun to play tricks on her, but when she opened it again the woman was still there.

It wasn't possible, and, still, it was real. She was staring at a perfect copy of the brunette she had left behind.

A copy.

A clone.

The conversation she had had with the woman a little over an hour ago sounded in her ears, causing a strange felling to bubble on the pit of her stomach. Despite her initial shock, though, Delphine chuckled to herself. She was a scientist, for Christ sake, she knew there were more plausible explanations for the resemblances.

She had just found the girl's twin sister. At the very least, she could return the brunette to her family and go back to her life without any complications.

Delphine hadn't forgotten about the situation she had met the woman, but now things had become more easy. Or so she hoped.

When the man finally hung up the telephone, signaling for her to come closer, she stood up, never allowing the woman to be out of her sight.

"How can I help you, ma'am?"

"Who is that?"

Frowning, he turned on his chair before replying a little confused.

"That's detective Childs." He sat at the edge of his seat, studying her closer. "Do you know her?"

"No." Delphine finally looked back at him. "But I think I know her sister."

She saw his eyes widening as he began to shake his head lightly.

"What? I'm sorry, ma'am, I think you're mistaken. Detective Childs doesn't have any siblings."

It took a moment for Delphine to register his words, it seemed as it the world had come to a stand still. It wasn't possible. He was mistaken.

She had seen it. She had a woman who looked exactly as this detective staying at her house. They were sisters, the other possibility...there wasn't another possibility.

"Are you sure?" Delphine asked again, hoping that somehow his answer would have changed in the few seconds that had passed.

"Yes, I know her whole family. They are all in the police force." She gasped as the color drained from her face. What on Earth was going on? "Is everything ok?"

She saw him getting up on the other side of the table and forced her mind to calm down. There was na explanation. A logical and scientifical explanation.

It had to be.

But the only person who could give it to her wasn't here.

Delphine swallowed hard and forced a half smile at the worried man.

"Yes, yes I just I need to go."

"But you didn't even..."

"It is ok I just...I need to go." She dismissed him with as wave, starting to walk towards the glass doors.

"Are you sure?"

Delphine could only nod as she steped out of the building and into the street. On the moment, she wasn't sure of anything anymore, only that she needed to get back to her appartment.

Back to the only person who could shine some light into the darkness her mind had become.

* * *

Delphine didn't knew how long she had spent outside her own door, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to turn the doorknob. The metal numbers fixed against the dark wood stared back at her, bringing back the sound of the brunette's voice as she had recited that code.

324B21.

Delphine shook her head to herself before closing her eyes and rested her forehead against the door. During the entire way back from the police station, she had allowed her feet to carry her throught the streets while her brain tried to form explanations for what she had just experienced.

As a biologist, she knew it wasn't impossible for two people to look alike without having any kind of blood conection. A quick search on the internet could show as much, putting, side by side, pictures of celebrities and historical figures or bringing together people who had nothing in commun besides their similar features.

Despite this knowledge, however, Delphine wasn't convinced.

Maybe she was still shaken from the events of the night before, maybe it was because of the things the woman had talked about earlier that day, but she was having a hard time believing this was all a simple coincidence.

But then again, look alikes was a idea way more plausible than clones, wasn't it?

Straightening her back, Delphine ran a hand throught her golden locks before grasping the doorknob once again. Her heart was beating fast and her palms were sweating.

Delphine was torn between entering the apartment and running the other way. She remembered having read once that from a point onward in life there's no turning back. As much as she wanted to believe that this was the "zero hour", the moment to where everything had led to, though, Delphine knew it was a lie.

Thing had already been in motion from the second she had laid eyes on the brunette.

She was way past the point of turning back.

Delphine inhaled deeply, ignoring the icy feeling in the pit of her stomach, before turning the doorknob and walk into her home.

As soon as the door opened, she saw the woman sitting by the window at the same spot she had occupied that morning and Delphine wondered if the brunette had even moved since she had left. She looked at the woman for a moment before closing the door behind her, loud enough so she could acknowledge her presence but not enough for her to be startled by the intrusion.

The brunette's head snapped up and Delphine could swear that she saw the ghost of a smile passing through her face.

"You're back."

She got up instantly, taking two eager steps towards the blonde before stilling her movements as if she had remembered her outburst from earlier. The action made Delphine's eyes burn and she focused on the task of taking off her coat, ignoring the hesitation she had noticed on the other woman.

"Are you...are you ok?" The voice sounded closer and when she look up again the stranger's worried gaze was on her.

"No." Delphine held her eyes walking to sit on the couch. "No. I..."

She exhaled, getting rid of all her preconceived ideas. If she was going to do this, she had to keep na open mind. That had never been a problem before, it couldn't be a problem now.

She wouldn't let it be.

"Tell me again."

The woman seems confused by her request, but, despite the uncertainty still visible in her eyes, she took a wavering step forward.

"What?"

"Tell me that...story...your story tell me again." Delphine spoke more softly, leaning over her knees. "And now, I want you to start from the begining."

This time, the smile was visible.


End file.
